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A LETTER 

TO 

THE HON. 
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES 

OF 

The University of Pennsylvania. 



I 



BY 



K. A. QENTH 






I', d^u^JkjL. 



Chemical Laboratory, 

1^0. Ill S. 10th Street, 
Philadelphia, June 25, 1888. 

To my friends and the Public : 

The following letter will explain itself. 

It was written and presented to the Board of 
Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania in the 
hope that a clear and full statement of my case 
would lead to a favorable conclusion. 

However, several days before this letter was read 
at the meeting of the Board, held on June 19, it 
was evident that, under all circumstances, the Board 
would sustain the action of the Provost and the 
Committee on Science, and would exercise the 
right which it claims by its charter, to remove a 
Professor at any time without cause. 

"Very kind efforts have been made to induce me 
to send my resignation before this meeting, to 
avoid an adverse vote against me ; but, as for half 
a life-time I have been working diligently and, to 
the best of my knowledge, for the interest and 
reputation of the University, I saw no good reason 



why I should give it this gratification, and pre- 
ferred to leave the odium of ingratitude rest upon 
the Board of Trustees. 

The letter of the Provost of April 18, 1888, is 
not ingenuous. The reasons given there will better 
apply to other departments than my own, and my 
department is certainly not alone chargeable with 
"the regular annual occurrence of an immense 
deficit." 

You will readily understand that the retrogres- 
sion of the University can be fairly chargeable to 
other causes than those connected with me. 

F. A. GENTH. 



University of Pennsylvania, 

June 4, 1888. 

To the Honorable^ the Board of Trustees of the Uni- 
versity of Pennsylvania : 

Gentlemen : — A few days ago I received the 
following communication : 

University of Pennsylvania, 
Office of the Secretary, May 31, 1888. 

Prof. Frederick A. Oenth, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry and Miner- 
alogy : 

Dear Sir : — I am instructed by the Board of Trustees of the Uni- 
versity of Pennsylvania to inform you that at the meeting of the Board 
held May 15, 1888, it was 

"Resolved, That, whereas the resignation of Professor F. A. Genth 
has been requested by this Board, and the request refused, that the 
Secretary is directed to convey to him notice of the charges preferred 
by the Provost and the Standing Committee on the Department of 
Science, and the request that he will transmit to the Board his answer 
in writing to said charges, to be laid before the stated meeting of the 
Trustees to be held on the fifth day of June next." 

I beg to enclose a copy of the minutes containing the charges. 

Very respectfully, 

JESSE Y. BURK, 
Secretary. 

Copy : 

From the minutes of the meeting of the Board of Trustees held 
May 15, 1888 : 

"The Provost and the Standing Committee on the Department of 



Science report that an examioation of the teaching in the Chair of 
Chemistry and Mineralogy, and its administration by Professor Genth, 
discloses : 

"1. That his teaching in that chair is inefficient. 

** 3. That his administration of the duties of his office is unsatisfactory 
and detrimental to the interests of the University. 

"They therefore present these charges for the action of the Trustees 
under Section 23 of the Statutes." 

A true copy. 

JESSE Y. BURK, 
Secretary. 

In reply to this, I. most respectfully beg to sub- 
mit the following : 

That these charges are so vague, evasive and in- 
definite that the only answer which I can give is 
that they are unwarranted, as they cannot be sub- 
stantiated by facts. 

I believe it to be my duty, not only to the Trus- 
tees of the University, but also to myself, to give a 
full statement of the whole occurrences ; you will 
permit me, therefore, to enter more fully into the 
details connected with this unpleasant controversy. 

At the close of last year I was invited by the 
Provost, Dr. William Pepper, to meet him and Mr. 
J. Yaughan Merrick, Chairman on the Committee 
of the Department of Science, for the purpose of 
discussing some of the details of the instruction in 
chemistry. 

At this meeting the Provost dwelled very largely 
upon the great falling off of the students and great 
deficiencies which occur every year, and that the 
Trustees would not continue to put their hands in 



their pockets to make them good, and that for this 
reason the expenses had to be cut down ; that 
the Trustees, therefore, had concluded, that, after 
the expiration of the present college year, the 
teaching force of the Chemical Department would 
consist only of myself, with one Assistant Pro- 
fessor and one Assistant ; that my son had no 
future at the University, that he would be paid up 
to the time when his contract expires (January 5, 
1889), but that he would not be re-appointed. 

At the same meeting I was charged with having 
neglected my duties in not giving personal instruc- 
tion; that I used the University to further my 
private interests, and that for these reasons the 
University had been losing students. 

Protesting against these assertions, I stated that 
although the greater portion of my time was de- 
voted to scientific research, the teaching of the 
students was not in any way neglected; that the 
plans and the details were carefully worked out by 
me and the instruction carried out under my con- 
stant supervision by my son and an assistant ; that 
nothing is done in the Laboratory with which I am 
not constantly familiar, and that the door between 
my private Laboratory and that of the students 
being generally open, the students have been re- 
quested to consult me at any time, of which they 
very frequently have availed themselves ; that in 
my recitations I constantly review the work done 
in the Laboratory, and select for discussion such 



6 

subjects which had presented any particular diffi- 
culties in the Laboratory, 

I can not see what else could be asked of the 
chief of any chemical department, who, in the 
opinion of all competent judges, should devote the 
greatest part of his time to build up a reputation 
for the same. 

The Provost replied '"' that scientific investigations 
were of no use and benefit to the University at all ; 
that I should give more personal instruction,^ to all 
of which Mr. MerricTc acquiesced. 

Although deeply wounded by the insult offered 
and the attack upon my honor and integrity, for 
the sake of peace, and in consideration of the 
financially embarrassed condition of the University, 
I submitted to the request of the Trustees, made 
known to me bv the Provost, and concluded to 
abandon for the future all scientific work and de- 
vote m}^ time to the personal instruction of the 
students ; and I immediately commenced to carry 
out the wishes of the Trustees by throwing away 
all the work which I had already done on a new 
and interesting scientific investigation. 

The other points of attack by the Provost at the 
meeting I shall answer further on. 

Always desirous to comply with any of the 
wishes of the Board of Trustees, I went to work 
earnestly and diligently and began to write out 
notes for a new course of lectures and the plans for 
the future instruction in analytical chemistry, 



necessitated by the limited force of instructors ; and 
was under the impression that the whole matter 
was settled ; the sequel, however, will show that 
I was mistaken. The Provost was evidently not 
satisfied that I had submitted to the wishes of the 
Board of Trustees ; his plan was to have me re- 
moved, and, therefore, as I am informed my case 
was re-opened again in February, at a meeting of 
the Board, and the matter referred to a committee 
of six^ who were requested to make an investiga- 
tion. 

What that investigation was, I do not know — it 
was certainly a one-sided^ hence unjust one, as said 
committee did not take the trouble to learn what I 
had to say in this matter. The result of this in- 
vestigation was that I was condemned without a 
hearing. 'Not knowing anything of what had been 
going on, I was very much surprised, when I 
received the following letter : 

1811 Spruce Street, Philadelphia. 
To Prof. F. A. Genth: 

Dear Doctor Genth : — I need not preface my communication by 
any expression of my personal regret for the state of affairs which has 
been for a number of years developing in the College Department, and 
which has finally led the Trustees to determine on a more or less com- 
plete reorganization of some of its branches. 

The progressive increase in cost of maintenance, the stationary po- 
sition of receipts and of number of students, the regular annual recur- 
rence of an immense deficit, these conditions persisting during much 
more than a decade, while the College Department of other Universi- 
ties, and, indeed, all other departments of oar own University, have, 
during the same period, shown unprecedented development and pros- 
perity, render it imperative to effect changes which will secure a re- 



8 

striction of expenses with full efficiency of instruction obtained by the 
more vigorous personal exertions of the members of the teaching 
force. 

Among the special departments, in the judgment of the Trustees 
thus requiring immediate reorganization is that of Chemistry. I am 
accordingly instructed by the unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees 
to request, as an indispensable preliminary to such reorganization, 
your resignation of the Chair of Chemistry and Mineralogy, to take 
effect at the close of the present College year, 

I need not assure you that this action is based solely on a conception 
of the administrative needs of the College Department, and it implies 
no diminution of the cordial personal feeling towards you on the part 
of the Trustees, or of their appreciation of your eminent scientific 
attainments. 

I have the honor to remain, 

Yours faithfully, 

April 18, '88. WILLIAM PEPPER, 

Frovost. 

My reply to this letter was : 

University of Pennsylvania, 
April 19, 1888. 
William Pepper, M.D., Provost of the University of Pennsylvania : 

Dear Sir :— Your communication of 18th inst. at hand and noted. 
Replying, I beg leave to say that, as there are always two parties neces- 
sary to make a bargain, so are also two necessary to break one. I must 
therefore consult counsel before I decide what course I shall elect. 

Very respectfully yours, 

F. A. GENTH. 

This was answered by the Provost as follows : 

1811 Spruce Street. 
Prof. F. A. Genth: 

Dear Dr. Genth : — Referring to your reply to my former commu- 
nication, I now send you a copy of the Statutes of the University and 
beg your attention to the last paragraph in Section 23, on page 13. 
These statutes have been in force for fully thirty years, the edition of 
which I now send you'a copy having been revised in 1885, simply to 
embody the new arrangement about the Provost. 

As you speak of consulting counsel, I thought it might facilitate 



9 

matters to request yoar attention to this provision. I shall lay your 
letter before the Board of Trustees at their meeting on Tuesday. I 
may be permitted to add that I should advise you to send a definite 
answer at an early day. 
I have the honor to remain, 

Yours respectfully, 
April 21, '88. WILLIAM PEPPER, 

Provost. 

The Provost knows perfectly well that the old 
statutes, which were in force at the time of my 
election in 1872, contain no provision by which a 
Professor could be arbitrarily removed, and that his 
position was a permanent one ; therefore, his re- 
ferring to the revised statutes can be considered 
only as a threat. 

No man of honor and self-resj)ect can be intimi- 
dated by a threat ; my reply, therefore, was the fol- 
lowing : 

William Pepper, M.I)., Provost of the University of Pennsylvania : 

Dear Sir : — I beg leave to acknowledge your communication of 
April 21, 1888. 

Very respectfully yours, 

F. A. GENTH. 

As it appears that the Board of Trustees has no 
idea what I have done from the time when I was 
elected Professor of Chemistry in the Departments 
of Arts and Sciences until the present day, you 
will allow me to give a full account of the scien- 
tific investigations which I have made. This large 
amount of work could not have been done, if the 
Board of Trustees had not voted me two assistants 



10 

to look after the details and the drudgery of giv- 
ing instruction in the elements of analytical chem- 
istry, so that the greater portion of my time could 
be devoted to scientific research. 

At the time of my election in 1872 my record 
shows already 56 papers and pamphlets, on chemi- 
cal, mineralogical and geological subjects ; the 
57th was published, like most of my subsequent 
papers, as " Contributions from the Laboratory of 
the University of Pennsylvania," and was of Ko. 1 
of that series. 



1873. No. 1. Corundum — Its Alterations and Associated Minerals. 
A pamphlet of 46 pages, containing in thirty articles the results of 
between two and three years labor. Proceedings Am. Phil. Soc, 
Sept. 19, 1873. 

1874. No. 2. Investigation of Iron Ores and Limestones from Cen- 
tre, Blair and Huntingdon Counties, Pa. Proc. Am. Phil. Soc, 
Feb. 6, 1874. 

1874. No. 3. Reply to Dr. T. Sterry Hunt. Proc. Am. Phil. Soc, 
July 17, 1874. 

1874. No. 4. On American Tellurium and Bismuth Minerals. 
Proc. Am. Phil. Soc, Aug. 21, 1874. 

This investigation embraces the following : 
1. On Native Tellurium. 7. On Calaverite. 

3. On Tetradymite. 8. On Tellurate of Copper and 

3. On Altaite. Lead. 

4. On Hessite. 9. On Bismuthinite. 

5. On Petzite. 10. On Schirmerite, a new min- 

6. On Sylvanite. eral. 

1875. No. 5. Preliminary Report on Mineralogy of Pennsylvania. 
B. of the 2d Geol. Sur. of Penna. 206 pages. 

No. 6. Second Preliminary Report on the Mineralogy of 
Penna. B^, pages 207-238. 

1876. No. 7. On some American Vanadium Minerals. Am. Journal 
Science [3], xii, pages 32-36. It contains articles on Roscoelite 
and Psittacinite, a new mineral. 



11 

1877. No. 9. On some Tellurium and Vanadium Minerals. Proc. 
Am. Phil. Soc, Aug. 17, 1877. 
It contains the following articles : 

1. On Native Tellurium. 7. On Ferrotellurite, 'a new 

3. On Hessite. mineral. 

3. On Coloradoite, anew mineral. 8. On Roscoelite. 

4. On Calaverite. 9. On a Green Mineral from Colo- 

5. On Tellurite. rado( Aluminous Roscoelite). 

6. On Magnolite, a new mineral. 10. On Yolborthite. 

No. 8. Tamaqua Gold. In Miners' Journal, Pottsville, June 
28, 1877. This is a full investigation of the alleged discovery of 
gold, platinum and other precious metals in Schuylkill County, 
and exposure of a great fraud. 
1879. No. 10. On Pyrophyllite from Schuylkill County. Proc. Am. 
Phil. Soc, July 18, 1879. 

No. 11. South Carolina Phosphates. In Third Annual Re- 
port of the Pa. Board of Agriculture for 1879. 

No. 12. Examination of North Carolina Uranium Minerals. 
Am. Chem. Journ., i, pages 87-93. 
It contains articles 

1. On Uranotile. 3. On Phosphuranylite, a new 

2. On Gummite. mineral. 

1881. No. 13. Analyses of Minerals and Rocks from Bucks, Mont- 
gomery and Philadelphia Counties, by F. A. G. and F. A. G., Jr. 
In Report C^, Second Geol. Survey of Pa., pages 94-136. 

No. 14. Minerals and Mineral Localities of North Carolina, 
by F. A. G. and W. C. Kerr, being Chapter i of Vol. ii of 
the Geology of North Carolina. 122 pages. 

No. 15. In H. H. Gorringe's Egyptian Obelisks. 

1. Analysis of Plagioclase from the Granite of the Obelisk. 

2. Analysis of Cement attached to the Pyramidion. . 

3. Analysis of Bronze from the Crabs of the Obelisk. 

4. Analyses of Paints on Images about 4000 Years Old. *- Yellow 

and Gilt Paint ; ^' Black Paint ; "> Red Paint. 

1882. No. 16. Analysis of Hiddenite, the ^merald Green Spo- 
dumene from North Carolina. Am. Jour, of Science [3], xxiii, 
page 68. 

No. 17. Contributions to Mineralogy. Proc. Am. Phil. Soc, 
Aug. 18, 1872. 
It contains the following articles : 
I. 1. Corundum altered into Spinel. 
2. " " " Zoisite. 



12 

3. Corundum altered into Feldspar and Mica. 

4. " '' " Margarite. 

5. '* i. << Fibrolite. 

6. ** " '* Cyanite. 

7. When were tlie Corundum Alterations Formed ? 
II. Alteration of Orthoclase into Albite. 

III. Alteration of Talc into Anthophyllite. 

IV. Talc, pseudomorphous after Magnetite. 
V. Gahnite. 

VI. Rutile and Zircon from the Itacolumite of Edge Hill, Pa. 
VII. Sphalerite and Prehnite from Cornwall, Pa. 
VIII. Pyrophyllite in Anthracite. 

IX. Beryl from Alexander County, N. C. 
X. Niccolite from Colorado. 

XI. Artificial Alisonite. 

1883. No. 18 On Robert Wilhelm Bunsen. In Encyclopedia 
Americana, i. 

1884. No. 19. On Herderite. Proc. Am. Phil. Soc, Oct. 17, 1884. 

1885. No. 20. On the Vanadates and lodyrite from Lake Valley, 
K. M., by F. A. G. and G. vom Rath, with four wood cuts. Proc. 
Am. Phil. Soc, April 17, 1885. 

It contains: 

1. Vanadinite. 3. Descloizite. 

2. Endlichite, a new species. 4. lodyrite. 

The German (revised) edition of the same paper contains five wood 
cuts. 

No. 21. Contributions to Mineralogy. Proc. Am. Phil. Soc, 
Oct. 2, 1885. 
Embracing the following articles: 

1. Tin and Associated Minerals. 

2. Jos^ite and Tetradymite. 

3. Seleniferous Galenobismutite. 

4. Argentobismutite. 

5. Cosalite. 

6. Schirmerite and Beegerite. 

7. Tetrahedrite — Sylvanite. 

8. Polybasite. 

9. Arsenopyrite and Scorodite. 

10. Alteration of Magnesian Limestones from Berks County, Pa. 

a. Brucite. 

b. Deweylite, Aragonite, Calcite. 

c. Pseudomorph of Deweylite after Aragonite. 

d. Serpentine. 



13 

11. Ilmenite from N. C. — Oligoclase. 

12. Topaz from Stoneham, Me. 

13. Orthoclase from French. Creek, Chester County, Pa. 

14. Muscovite, pseudomorphous after Nephelite ? 

15. Stilpnomelane Pseudomorphs. Ankerite. 

16. Calamine. 

17. Titanite. 

18. Yanadinite. 

19. Annabergite. 

20. Dr. Clemens Winkler and Herderite. 

1886. No. 22. Analysis of Pseudomorphs from Magnet Cove, Ark., 
Am. Jour. Soc. [3], xxxi, Jan., 1886. 

No. 23. On an Undescribed Meteoric Iron from E. Tennessee, 
with two photographic plates. Proc. Am. Nat. Soc, Dec. 28, 
1886. 

1887. No. 24. Contributions to Mineralogy. With one phototype 
plate and three wood-cuts. Proc. Am. Phil. Soc, March 18, 1887. 

The articles treated in this paper are: 
I. On the Occurrence of Tin Ores in Mexico. 

1. On Cassiterite. 

a. Cassiterite, red variety. 
6. Cassiterite, yellow variety. 

c. Cassiterite, pseudomorphous after Hematite. 

d. Cassiterite, pseudomorphous after Magnetite. 

2. Hematite. 

3. Mimetite and Pseudomorphs of Mimetite after Anglesite. 
II. Yanadinite and Descloizite. 

III. Pyrite, pseudomorphous after Pyrrhotite. 
lY. Hessite. 
Y. Tatalpite. 
YI. AUanite. 
YIL Willemite. 

YIIL Hisingerite, pseudomorphous after Calcite. 
1888. No. 25. On Lansfordite, a new mineral. Groth's Zeitschrift 
fiir Krystallographie. In Press. 

No. 26. Minerals and Mineral Localities of North Carolina, 
by F. A. G. and the late W. C. K. Revised and enlarged edition 
of No. 14 brought up to date. In Press. 

No. 27. On Two Minerals from Delaware County, Pa. 1. 
Gahnite. 2. Columbite. Ready for publication in Proc. Ac. 
Nat. Sciences. 



14 

This array of work, done during the sixteen 
years in which I had the honor to be chief of the 
Chemical Department, certainly shows that I have 
not been idle and that I have been hard at work for 
the interest and the reputation of the University. 

The Provost, Dr. Pepper, however, in the meet- 
ing which I had with him and Mr. Merrick, told 
me, when I referred to this work, that scientific re- 
search was of no use and benefit to the University, 

That Dr. Pepper only very recently must have 
arrived at this conclusion, is proved by the follow- 
ing letters which he sent me in acknowledgment 
of the receipt of separate copies which I had pre- 
sented to him : 

1811 Spruce Street. 
JDr. F. A. Genth : 

Dear Doctor: — Allow me to acknowledge with great pleasure tlie 
receipt of your very valuable and new analyses of mineral waters. 
I am happy to say they are not too late to be placed in my book. 

Very sincerely yours, 
November 9, 1880. WILLIAM PEPPER. 

1811 Spruce Street. 
Professor F. A. Genth : 

Dear Sir:— I beg to acknowledge the receipt and also to thank you 
for the interesting pamphlet which you have kindly sent to me. 

Yours very truly, 
September 26, 1885. WILLIAM PEPPER. 

1811 Spruce Street. 
Dr. Pepper begs to thank Professor Genth for his interesting pam- 
phlet on "An Undescribed Meteoric Iron from East Tennessee." 
February 22, 1887. 

1811 Spruce Street. 
Dr. Pepper begs to thank Professor Genth for his interesting pam- 
phlet, ** Contributions to Mineralogy." 
May 20, 1887. 



15 

After, in the above statements, I have given you 
an idea of the amount of work which I have done 
for the scientific reputation of the University, it 
now remains to answer the first charge, viz., " that 
the teaching in the chair is inefficient." 

I claim that the experience which I have gained 
in teaching chemistry during the last forty-four 
years has made me the most competent judge how 
this science ought to be taught, and I also claim 
that the teaching of practical chemistry in the 
Laboratory of the University has been as good as 
it can be done under the embarrassed financial cir- 
cumstances of the University, and I believe that it 
has been better than in most of the other institu- 
tions in this country, and I appeal, in order to sus- 
tain this assertion, to the majority of the students 
of the 1st and 2d Section who have worked in the 
Laboratory during the last sixteen years, and also 
to the great number of persons and institutions 
who have given employment to our students. 
Many of them occupy high and responsible posi- 
tions, and I have always inquiries for young chem- 
ists, because the chemical students of the Univer- 
sity of Pennsylvania are preferred to those of other 
institutions. But not only the chemical students 
who have done their duty in the Laboratory find 
ready employment, but also quite a number of 
those from the 2d Section have obtained chemical 
positions, I do not claim that all the students who 
worked in the Laboratory were good students, and 
among those who were not, it would be easy to find 



16 

malcontents who would speak against me and my 
methods of teaching. 

Are they competent ? Are they to be heard ? 

I must confess that I do not understand the 
drift of the second charge. " That his administra- 
tion of the duties of his office is unsatisfactory and 
detrimental to the interest of the University." 

If this is the case, it is most remarkable that this 
has only been discovered after this '' unsatisfactory 
administration " has been in practice for sixteen 
years. It would only have been necessary that the 
Board of Trustees would have given me a hint to 
correct, if there had been anything which was to 
be corrected. On the contrary, my administration 
has been repeatedly approved of by the very men 
who bring these charges. If I look upon my ad- 
ministration, I can say that it has brought, on ac- 
count of my reputation, and that which I have 
made for the University, quite a number of stu- 
dents, and that with the exception of Prof. 
Haupt's (3d Section : Civil Engineering), no de- 
partment has as many students now and had it for 
the last years as that of chemistry, and that it is 
misrepresenting facts, when it is said the Chemical 
Department had been losing students by my neglect 
of duty. But this has not only been so during the 
past years, it promises to continue so in the future, 
if my system of instruction is to he continued^ and 
from our present knowledge the next class will 
have five regular students, and five specials have 
already applied for admission ; the class will there- 



17 

fore be as large as the present one, and possibly 
larger, as the special students generally call not 
much before the opening of the new college year. 

I also know that by my administration thousands 
of dollars have been saved to the University, and 
this is no secret to a number of the members of 
the Board of Trustees. The discipline in my rooms 
was always perfect, and in the sixteen years I never 
had a case before the Committee of Discipline. 

I must confess that I am at a loss to know how 
the second charge can be sustained. 

I have only one more matter to refer to. 

In the meeting between the Provost, Mr. Mer- 
rick and myself, I was charged with using the 
University for the advancement of my private 
interest. 

In answer to this attack upon my honor and in- 
tegrity, I beg leave to submit that, when, unso- 
licited by me, a number of friends in and outside 
of the Board of Trustees secured my election as 
Professor of Chemistry in the Departments of 
Arts and Science, the small salary offered by the 
Board of Trustees, being no equivalent for the ser- 
vices to be rendered, if I was compelled to devote 
my whole time to the University, it was distinctly 
understood that I should continue my private busi- 
ness. 

Then, I was fully aware that moving away so 
far from the business centre, the greater portion of 
private work would be lost, a fact whiTch unfortu- 
nately has actually occurred, so that I have really 



18 

hardly any private business, excepting that which 
I do for the Board of Agriculture. 

However, I have never allowed my private busi- 
ness to interfere with my duties of the University, 
and as I, on an average, work between nine and 
ten hours a day in the Laboratory, I could accom- 
plish this result without any difficulty. The great 
advantage of the work for the Board of Agricul- 
ture is, that the bulk of it comes in two seasons ~ 
late in the spring, when the duties at the Uni- 
versity are light and the examinations of the Post 
Seniors are beginning, and after the 1st of August, 
before the new college year commences. 

After thus having fully stated the whole facts of 
the case, I believe that they will sustain my opin- 
ion that, having during the whole period of sixteen 
years always worked diligently and^ to the best of 
my knowledge and ability, for the interest of the 
University, the conclusion must be that the 
charges brought against me are most unjust and 
have assailed my honor and integrity. 

In conclusion, permit me to express the hope that 
the Board of Trustees, after giving this communi- 
cation a careful and unbiased deliberation, will do 
me justice, withdraw these charges, sustain me in 
my position and give me a distinct and complete 
vindication of my honor and integrity. 

I have the honor to remain, 

Your obedient servant, 

F. A. GENTH. 

June 4, 1888. 



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